|
|
Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California
Fair Derby -
July 8, 2005 - Costa Mesa
By: Ryan Evans
"Flyin" Mike Faria won the Fair Derby for the fourth straight year and stretched his record of overall titles to eight in front of a large crowd at Costa Mesa.
 Ryan Fisher got the jump on the field and tried to trap from the outside but parked in turn two, allowing Faria and Chris Manchester to go by. Manchester tried to dive into turn three in front of Faria but slowed slightly and made contact with Faria and tumbled down the track. Manchester was knocked unconscious and was down for an extended amount of time while receiving help from paramedics. Manchester was transported to the hospital, but was released several hours later with a sprained neck.
On the restart Fisher led into the first corner again but Faria took control on the back straight and Shawn McConnell went by Fisher as well. McConnell, a former Fair Derby champion, chased Faria the final three laps, but it was to no avail as Faria was first to the checkered flag. McConnell settled for second, Shaun Harmatiuk was third, Fisher finished fourth, and Manchester was credited with fifth.
The two semis proved to be as entertaining as any pair of races in a long time, but the action came from opposite ends of the spectrum. Bobby Schwartz led the first semi for two laps but finally succumbed to Manchester's pressure and dropped to second. Schwartz valiantly held off Faria for second until he drifted wide in the final corner and Faria snatched second at the line.
The second semi degenerated into "the race that wouldn't end." The first attempt ended when Fisher and Buck Blair went down in turn one. The second start ended in turn three when Chris Kerr went down. Kerr was penalized for the restart. The third time wasn't the charm as the red flag came out when McConnell went down in turn one. Attempt number four was brought to a halt when McConnell and Kerr went down together. If five tries wasn't strange enough, then the reason for the fifth red flag was. Fisher and Blair made contact on the back straight and couldn't continue because their bikes became locked together in an upright position and couldn't be dislodged. Fisher was deemed the cause of the stoppage and was penalized. When the tapes went up for an amazing sixth time, Blair was in front but suffered a mechanical problem which allowed McConnell to take the lead. Harmatiuk was following in second but had his hands full with Fisher. McConnell ran away with the win and Harmatiuk held off Fisher for second while everyone in the pits failed to recall a race that needed six attempts to complete.
Fisher jumped into the lead on the Last Chance but lifted coming out of turn four and allowed Billy Hiles to take the lead. Fisher gave chase but both riders went down and forced a restart. On the restart all three riders went down in turn three with Hiles labeled the cause of the restart. Fisher jumped into the lead on the restart and held off Kerr to earn the final spot in the Fair Derby Final.
The first of three rounds of heats began with Blair holding off McConnell for the win. Fisher took the second race for his first win. Manchester ran away with the third heat. Kerr finished round one with a win over Schwartz.
Kerr began round two with his second win in a row. Faria scored his first win in the next race. Manchester defeated Fisher for his second straight win in race 11. Schwartz rounded out the second round with a victory over Eddie Castro.
Faria began the final round with his second straight win. Manchester remained perfect by defeating Schwartz in race 16. Blair held off Kerr for the win in race 17. Fisher completed the heats with his second win. A three-rider runoff for the final two spots in the semis proved anticlimactic as Castro fell in the first corner allowing Alan Christian and Harmatiuk to move on to the semis.
Chris Metoyer led the Support Main Event the first three laps but Jeff Blaydes chased him down on the final lap. Metoyer entered turn three a little wide and Blaydes slid underneath him and beat him to the checkered flag. Steve Murray finished third and Dave Delbridge was fourth.
Costa Mesa will be dark throughout July and the first week of August due to the Orange County Fair.
Speedway will return to the world famous bullring track on Saturday, August 13.
RESULTS
Support Consolation
185 - Keith Mullally
269 - Ed Martinez
165 - Randy Kreps
107 - Monte McKeon
Support Consolation
176 - Carl Gazafy
163 - Rohn Zellner
106 - Robert Fiesler
228 - Shane Kump
Support Main Event (restarted)
173 - Jeff Blaydes
148 - Chris Metoyer
214 - Steve Murray (fell, remounted)
338 - Dave Delbridge (fell)
First Division Scoring 1 2 3 TOTAL
2n - Alan Christian 2 2 2 6
6 - Shawn McConnell 3 3 2 8
9 - Mike Faria 2 4 4 10
11 - Bobby Schwartz 3 4 3 10
14 - Eddie Castro 3 3 X 6
18 - Justin Boyle E 1 1 2
24 - Bobby Krips 1 3 1 5
27n - Chris Kerr 4 4 3 11
36 - Ryan Fisher 4 3 4 11
37 - Denny Scopellite 0 2 1 3
39 - Buck Blair 4 1 4 9
44n - Billy Hiles 3 1 3 7
45 - Dario Galvin 0 0 0 0
120 - Skyler Greyson 1 0 0 1
130 - Chris Manchester 4 4 4 12
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 1 2 3 6
201 - Neil Facchini 0 0 0 0
248 - Brian Starr 2 2 1 5
301 - Dale Facchini 1 1 2 4
389 - Nate Perkins 2 0 2 4
Race Results
1: Blair, McConnell, D.Facchini (tape penalty), Starr, Boyle (engine failure)
2: (restarted twice) Fisher, Hiles, Faria (penalty line), Greyson, Scopellite (penalty line)
3: Manchester, Castro, Perkins, Harmatiuk, Galvin (tape penalty)
4: Kerr, Schwartz, Christian, Krips (tape penalty), N.Facchini
9: Kerr, McConnell, Harmatiuk, Hiles, Galvin
10: Faria, Kirps, Christian, Blair, Perkins
11: Manchester, Fisher, Starr, Boyle, N.Facchini (fell, remounted)
12: Schwartz, Castro, Scopellite, D.Facchini, Greyson (fell, remounted)
15: (restarted) Faria, Hiles, McConnell (penalty line), Krips, Greyson
16: Manchester, Schwartz, Perkins, Boyle, Galvin
17: Blair, Kerr, Christian, Scopellite, N.Facchini
18: Fisher, Harmatiuk, D.Facchini, Starr, Castro (excluded)
Semi #1: Manchester, Faria, Schwartz, Hiles, Christian
Semi #2: (restarted five times) McConnell, Harmatiuk, Fisher (penalty line), Kerr (penalty line), Blair (retired)
Last Chance (restarted twice)
36 - Ryan Fisher
27n - Chris Kerr
44n - Billy Hiles (fell, excluded)
11 - Bobby Schwartz (non starter)
Fair Derby Championship Final (restarted)
9 - Mike Faria
6 - Shawn McConnell
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk
36 - Ryan Fisher (retired)
130 - Chris Manchester (non starter - injured)
|
